"If ya ain't got it in ya, ya can't blow it out." Louis Armstrong

He's standing at the entrance of the Great Hall, stopping the crowd as he stares.

He's finally back, after so long, after too long. He's broken, he's ruined, he's hurting, and yet he's back.

Everything's going to be okay. He knows that, now. Everything is okay, because he's standing where he's meant to be.

Then the crowd surges around him and he's pushed inside. Pandemonium is everywhere, sneaking into every corner and crevice. But he can't move, he can't think, he can't breathe. It's all too much at once.

And then he goes and stands next to Parvati. "Hi," he says, and it's so inconsequential compared to what's going on around them, and she just glares at him, What the hell are you wasting words for? and he's left staring after her as she dives into the crowd to kick some Death Eating arse.

And fuck, isn't she hot when she risks her life? He's left to fight, fight for this, fight for his dead nearly-brothers who ran with him, fight for everyone that's left, fight for Harry. He's got to do this, got to win this.

He jinxes a Death Eater, kills one, that strange green light flying from his wand surreally.

It's the first time ever, but he can't stop to think. If he doesn't have it in him to kill someone, then how the hell could that man be dead—that Death Eater—that explosion in the wall be there? He's got it in him; he just has to unleash it.

And for a while he's gone mad, he's gone off his rocker. He sends these green spells flying, killing his innocence and ignoring the crumpling figures.

It's only when he backs against the wall, with Parvati beside him again. He sees those deadened eyes of the horrible people, people who were humans just like he and Parvati. He's gone and sucked the life from them. He's used the Unforgivable curses like they're toys.

"Parvati," he breathes through chapped lips. "How many have you killed?"

She looks at him grimly, running a finger along her nose thoughtfully. She answers immediately, "Three." Her voice is pitiful, ruined and sad, and he knows she feels the same as he. It's the first time he's heard her talk in much too long, and he grabs her hand too tightly. She doesn't move.

And then Harry and You-Know-Who are battling, are taunting each other and explaining things he doesn't understand. And the rest of the world seems to fall away from them, just as it does for him. He's floating around like a cloud, for once not remembering or crying or regretting…He's alone with himself for one small moment, and then You-Know-Who is on the ground, dead, lifeless, gone.

Everything can go back, can become happy again. But it'll take all this work, all those tears and memories and regrets…but he'll do it.

He's got it in him, and all he has to do is unleash it.

A/N: For the Inspiration Challenge--this is Dean. Liked? Hated? Review, please!